England women's cricket team came agonisingly close to a 'Lionesses moment' this month, but fell short in the World Cup final against Australia, losing by seven wickets. The runners-up finish, while a significant achievement, largely went under the radar in the UK, highlighting the ongoing struggle for mainstream recognition.
A History of Achievement
The women's game dates back to 1745, when a match at Gosden Common near Guildford was noted for the girls playing 'as well as most men'. Yet it wasn't until 1926 that the Women's Cricket Association established a formal structure. England played the first Women's Test match in 1934 against Australia, winning by nine wickets, and won the first Women's Cricket World Cup in 1973 on home soil. They have since won the World Cup three more times (1993, 2009, 2017), earning the BBC Sports Team of the Year Award in 2017.
The Battle for Recognition
Despite these milestones, the current squad has not repeated its 2017 triumph. Captain Nat Sciver-Brunt and predecessor Heather Knight are not household names like Lionesses Ella Toone or Chloe Kelly. Commentator Alison Mitchell noted that while the T20 World Cup achieved record fan attendance, 'it didn’t achieve mainstream cut-through, unfortunately.' She partly attributed this to the simultaneous FIFA World Cup and the lack of free-to-air TV coverage of the women's cricket tournament.
Professional cricketer Mia Rogers, 24, reflected: 'It very nearly happened at the World Cup Final this month, our Lioness moment, but then Australia went and beat us. Nevertheless, it was a seminal moment.' Rogers, a wicketkeeper and right-hand batter, has just extended her contract with Durham and plays for Manchester Super Giants in The Hundred.
Grassroots and Funding
Rogers started cricket at Henley Cricket Club and later helped start a cricket club at Wycombe Abbey school in 2019. She turned down a graduate job at JP Morgan to pursue cricket. 'The trouble is it harder for most state schools to introduce cricket,' she said, which is why she is passionate about grassroots funding. She is also an ambassador for Maiden Cricket, a brand founded by teenage sisters Honor and Cat Black that supplies dark-coloured high-performance sportswear to help girls feel confident and reduce dropout rates.
Gemma Barton of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said women's and girls' cricket is experiencing 'incredible momentum', but sustaining growth depends on creating inclusive environments. The ECB stated: 'Women’s and girls’ cricket is the biggest growth opportunity for the game. Our aim is to make cricket a game that is truly gender-neutral with women and girls being properly represented across the whole game.'
Former bowler Isa Guha, through her charity Take Her Lead, announced a new partnership with the ECB and Metro Bank to invest in grassroots growth. 'Between the ages of 10 and 15, girls are 20% more likely to drop out of sport than boys,' she said, emphasising the need for belonging before competitiveness.
Looking Ahead
Former England star Alex Hartley said: 'The Lionesses showed the impact that representation can have in sport, and I think cricket has the opportunity to create a similar cultural shift.' Maiden Cricket co-founder Cat Black added: 'The women’s game is moving forward, and it’s exciting to think about a future where girls starting out in cricket feel supported from the very beginning.'
The Hundred, currently shown live on BBC2 and BBC iPlayer, is expected to help reach new audiences. Alison Mitchell highlighted the upcoming 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where T20 cricket will feature for the first time: 'Being Olympic champions can’t be underestimated. They just need to win first!'
